Picture a Brooklyn-born storyteller who spun a deadly game of ambition and survival into a YA thriller that’s impossible to put down—meet Joelle Wellington! This rising star in Young Adult literature has captivated readers with her debut novel, Their Vicious Games, a pulse-pounding blend of suspense, social commentary, and fierce feminine rage. With a voice that’s as sharp as it is authentic, Wellington is carving out a bold space in the YA genre, tackling themes of race, class, and power with unflinching honesty.
Joelle’s stories aren’t just thrilling—they’re personal. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in a world of predominantly white institutions, she crafts narratives that resonate with readers who feel like outsiders in elite spaces. Her knack for weaving complex characters and twisty plots has already earned her a devoted following, and she’s just getting started.
The Making of Joelle Wellington
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Joelle Wellington spent her childhood wandering the stacks of the Brooklyn Public Library, where her love for stories took root. This passion for the written word led her to earn a BA in Creative Writing and International Studies, honing her ability to craft narratives that bridge personal and societal themes. Even as a young girl, she was stapling together her own books, dreaming of the day she’d see her name on a spine.
Joelle’s path to publishing wasn’t without hurdles. Her first manuscript flopped on submission in 2019, but she didn’t let that stop her. In 2020, amid a global pandemic and a national reckoning with racial injustice, she poured her frustrations and insights into Their Vicious Games. The result was a manuscript that sparked an eight-house auction—a rare feat for a debut author—and landed her a deal with Simon & Schuster’s Atheneum Books.
Joelle Wellington’s Unforgettable Stories
Joelle Wellington’s debut, Their Vicious Games (2023), is a YA thriller that’s been compared to The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor with a dash of Squid Game. The story follows Adina Walker, a Black teen whose Ivy League dreams are shattered after a fight at her elite academy. Her only shot at redemption is “The Finish,” a high-stakes competition hosted by the powerful Remington family, where the prize is everything—and the cost is life or death. With biting social commentary on race and class, the novel’s elegant prose and wild twists have earned rave reviews.
Beyond her debut, Wellington has shown her versatility with The Blonde Dies First (2024), a speculative thriller-horror-comedy that leans into meta storytelling, and Girls Who Play Dead, another gripping YA tale. Her short story “Cottonmouth,” published in Apex Magazine, showcases her ability to craft layered, allusion-rich narratives in a compact form. Joelle’s style is methodical yet dynamic, blending meticulous outlines with moments of spontaneous brilliance, often exploring the “metaphorical claustrophobia” of being trapped in oppressive systems.
Her work is defined by unapologetic protagonists—especially young Black women—who refuse to play by the rules of a world stacked against them. Whether it’s Adina’s cunning survival tactics or the absurd chaos of a Simon Says game gone wrong, Wellington’s stories are as thrilling as they are thought-provoking, earning praise from authors like Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Jessica Goodman.
Why Joelle Wellington Matters
Joelle Wellington’s impact goes beyond her page-turning plots. As a Black woman writing in a genre often dominated by white voices, she brings a fresh perspective, challenging the myth of meritocracy and exposing the toll of navigating elite spaces as an outsider. Her stories resonate with readers who see themselves in Adina’s ambition and rage, offering representation that’s both empowering and unflinchingly real.
Wellington’s debut year taught her the importance of rest and boundaries, a lesson she shares with other BIPOC writers: write stories that are true to you, not palatable for others. With her second YA novel and an adult space fantasy in the works, she’s poised to leave a lasting mark on literature, one thrilling tale at a time.
- Born: Brooklyn, New York
- Key Works: Their Vicious Games, The Blonde Dies First, Girls Who Play Dead, “Cottonmouth”
- Education: BA in Creative Writing and International Studies
- Fun Fact: She’s an avid bread baker (with mixed results) and a pop culture encyclopedia.
Ready to dive into a world of suspense and sharp social commentary? Snag Their Vicious Games and discover why Joelle Wellington is the YA author you didn’t know you needed!